Grain is often stored on farms or in farming country in bins. Such bins are typically manufactured of metal, and are mainly of a cylindrical construction, but having a tapered, frustoconical lower portion for gravitational discharge of the grain, and further having a frustoconical top with an opening therein covered by a lid for transferring grain into the bin. It is frequently necessary to have access to the upper opening of the bin for purposes of manually removing the lid therefrom, for positioning a chute to feed grain thereinto, or for visual inspection of the interior of the bin to ascertain the degree to which it is filled, and that the grain is in good condition.
It therefore is necessary to provide a ladder up the side of the bin, and diagonally across the upper frustoconical portion or roof. A hand rail is typically provided at the top of the vertical portion of the ladder and extending over the inclined portion. Since the hand rails extend a significant distance above the inclined portion of the ladder substantial lateral leverage can be applied inadvertently. As will be understood, deformation or collapse of the hand rails cannot be tolerated as it could cause a person on the ladder to fall, leading to serious injury or death. Furthermore, the juncture between the vertical ladder portion and the inclined portion in the past has been a weak area structurally, and further has sometimes caused problems of clothing snagging thereon. The upper end of the inclined portion also has been known to cause snagging of clothing.